MOMBASA-Excitement and relief are in the air as universities and colleges across Kenya prepare to reopen their doors on Monday after a 49-day lecturers’ strike that brought learning to a standstill. The end of the strike has sparked joy among students and parents, though many say the disruption has left deep financial and academic scars.
At the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM), students expressed happiness about finally returning to class but admitted that the long break had drained their finances and disrupted their studies.
“We are happy to go back to school, but we really struggled financially,” said one TUM student. “The money we had saved for school is already used up. We also fear that lecturers will rush through the syllabus, and we might not understand everything properly.”
Parents, too, have not been spared from the effects of the strike. Dominik Martin, a Mombasa resident and father of a university student in Nairobi, said the nearly seven-week closure left students idle at home instead of learning.
“The strike really affected us. Students were home doing nothing instead of learning,. “The government should find a way to compensate the semester that we already paid for.”he said”
Another parent, Michael Ogutu, voiced similar frustrations, saying parents have sacrificed a lot to educate their children only to see their efforts disrupted by strikes.
“It’s a shame that the government and lecturers took so long to resolve the issue,” Ogutu said. “Parents are doing their best, and I urge both the UASU and the government to find lasting solutions instead of resorting to strikes.”
For some families, the 49-day break brought unexpected financial burdens. Mohammed, a Mombasa resident whose son studies in Kisumu County, said he had to bring his son home during the strike to cut expenses and ensure his safety.
“Now that the strike is over, I don’t know how I’ll get money to send him back to Kisumu by Sunday,” Mohammed said. I even took a loan to pay his fees, but he did not learn the whole semester. How will that money be compensated?”
Local business owners who depend on students also felt the impact. Mwasia, who runs a small hotel near the Technical University of Mombasa, said his income dropped during the strike.
“Students are our main customers during the strike, business was too low to sustain both my family and the hotel.”he said.
As learning resumes on Monday, students, parents, and business owners are urging the government and the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) to find peaceful, long term solutions to future disputes. Their shared message is clear that education should never be interrupted because of strikes.
